Fourth of July Guide for Pregnancy

July 02, 2013 00:00

At Nine Naturals, our staff is heading all over the country for the Fourth of July – to the Pacific Northwest, out to Long Island and down to the south. It got us thinking about the necessary precautions that pregnant ladies should take to stay safe during your barbeques and outdoor adventures and enjoy the holiday. Here are a few reminders:

Be wary of unrefrigerated food, uncooked meats and fish high in mercury. Food that has been left unrefrigerated for too long is a bacteria risk such as potato salad or anything with mayo. Also be cautious of barbecued meats. Make sure that whatever meat products you’re eating has been thoroughly cooked. Uncooked or insufficiently cooked meat and fish can put you at risk of contracting food poisoning from bacteria such as salmonella, E. coli, or campylobacter. Also be mindful of the type of fish you eat. Avoid large, predatory fish, such as marlin, shark and swordfish, which are known to contain high levels of mercury.

Stay hydrated. Drink lots of water! Soda and sugary drinks just won’t cut it. Let’s face it, you’ll probably want to be outside, enjoying some activities, taking a turn on the grill. You should enjoy the holiday! But take into account that you’ll be sweating, thus losing more water from your system than normal. So keep a BPA-free water bottle handy! Dehydration during pregnancy can be serious—insufficient fluids during the first trimester can lead to insufficient amniotic fluid and, in the worst cases, cause premature labor.

Try to stay out of the sun. This goes hand in hand with staying hydrated because the heat from the sun speeds up the rate of dehydration. But this doesn’t mean that you have to hide indoors; a reasonable amount of exposure to the sun is fine. We recommend naturals ways of safeguarding yourself from the sun as well as our next point—sunscreen.

Sunscreen is your best friend. Correction—all-natural, non-toxic sunscreen is your best friend. Be sure to apply a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 45. And even if the forecast near you isn’t looking all that bright for this July 4th, sunblock is still a good idea, as pregnancy causes the skin to be more sensitive to the sun. Check out our Top Natural Sunscreen Picks for Pregnancy, if you need help picking one out.

Be careful when walking after sundown and being in overly packed crowds. Enjoy the fireworks! Since fireworks happen after sundown though, watch your step in the dark! Also, be cautious of going places with rowdy or packed crowds where you run the risk of getting pushed around. If you want to look fabulous but feel sure-footed, checkout some of our comfortable and stylish shoe recommendations from last week.